BLACK-HEADED GULL. 223 



migratory, for many of our birds go south in autumn, and gulls 

 from the north and east come as winter visitors or birds of 

 passage. 



Lilford and others tried to alter the name to Brown-headed 

 Gull on account of the coffee-brown and not black nuptial 

 hood, but the old-established name should stand. Amongst 

 those whose interest in birds is superficial the fact that this 

 is our commonest species causes confusion ; they call it the 

 *' Common Gull," and insist that its head is not black, ignoring 

 the seasonal change of plumage. The brown hood is worn in 

 spring and summer, though exceptionally it is retained all winter, 

 or regained before the end of the year ; most birds lose the 

 hood in August. The Black-head is an inland as well as coastal 

 gull ; it is never pelagic and is seldom seen far from land ; it 

 nests as far from the sea as the Pennines, and feeds regularly in 

 fields and sewage farms at fifty miles or more from the coast. 

 Yet the old notion that a gull inland is a sign of bad weather dies 

 hard. The adult bird in summer may always be recognised 

 by the brown hood, blood-red bill and legs, and at any season 

 by the white outer fringe of the wing contrasting with the pearl- 

 grey of the mantle ; the dark inner webs of the outer primaries 

 are hidden, though the black tips are not. In winter the white 

 head is blotched with brownish grey on the ear-coverts and 

 near the eye ; the head of the Common Gull at this season is 

 streaked with grey. Young birds have the wings mottled with 

 chestnut-brown, and can always be told by the band on the tail : 

 their bills and legs are yellowish red. 



The \ying-beats of the Black-head are quicker than in larger 

 gulls, and its build is slimmer ; there is a suggestion of relation- 

 ship to terns in many of its movements. It has a desultory 

 uncertain flight ; it wavers, careens, and drifts, but when 

 migrating or hurrying often flies steadily, and a party will adopt 

 chevron formation. When about to alight on water the bird 

 will " shoot " hke a Rook, darting down with half-open wings, 



